Special Collection: Earth Day

 

 

Explore Earth Day favorites from the SuperSTEM, DynaMath, and SuperScience archives. The articles below explore renewable energy, human impacts, ecosystems, and more!

Kid Eco Heroes!

Every day is Earth Day for these kids who work to help nature around them.

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Hooray for Earth Day!
Watch a video about Earth Day
Earth Day Choice Board
Choose one or more of the activities to complete
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Are You Friends With Fungi?

Let’s get to know nature’s cleanup crew!

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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The Fungus Among Us
Watch a video about fungi
Hands-on: Fungi Observations
Get to know a mushroom inside and out!
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Can I Recycle That?

Why is recycling important? How can you make sure you're doing it right?

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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What Happens to Our Trash?
Watch a video about garbage
Plan a Recycling System
Design a recycling system for your classroom
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Would You Rather Banish Ocean Trash or Zap Dirty Air?

If you could fix either water or air pollution with a snap of your fingers, which would you choose?

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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Would You Rather Banish Ocean Trash or Zap Dirty Air?
Watch a video, then make your choice
Make a Bar Graph
Collect data and create a bar graph
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The Shocking Truth About Glitter

Read about why scientists want us to use less of this sparkly stuff, and analyze data about plastic pollution in the environment.

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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Trash Talk
Watch a video about plastic pollution in our oceans
Circle Graph: Ocean Trash
Analyze ocean pollution data on a pie chart
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The Wolves of Isle Royale

Discover how scientists are helping an island's top predator return from the brink. Then explain how changes in wolf numbers can affect an ecosystem.

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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Why the World Needs Wolves
Watch a video about apex predators
Where Are the Wolves?
Analyze a map of wolf population ranges
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Treetop Scientist

Meet Nalini Nadkarni, a scientist who climbs to the tops of trees to study what lives up there. Then make observations about trees in your own neighborhood.

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Science in a Snap: Get to Know a Tree!
Watch a video about making observations
Get to Know a Tree
Use hands-on observation skills to learn about trees
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Going Solar

Learn why more and more homes and businesses are powered by the sun. Then explore advantages and disadvantages of solar power as a renewable source of electricity.

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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Climate 101: Renewable Energy
Watch a video about renewable energy
Planning Solar Panels
Hands-on activity about installing solar panels
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Gorilla Guardians

Meet the scientists and caretakers who work to protect these endangered apes. Evaluate how human activity affects endangered mountain gorillas.

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article
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Primate Time
Watch a video about different types of primates
Up For the Count
Interpret data from a line graph
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Art Credits: Kid Eco Heroes!: Courtesy of Kids for Urban Trees; Are You Friends with Fungi?: Shutterstock.com (Orange Mycena Mushroom); Stephane Vitzthum/Biosphoto/Minden Pictures (Snail); Can I Recycle That?: Photo illustration by Sean McCabe; Shutterstock.com (Child, Soda Can); pepifoto/Getty Images (Tin Can); TokenPhoto/Getty Images (Plate); NoDerog/Getty Images (Box); jfmdesign/Getty Images (Cup); SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images (Recycling Plant); iStockPhoto/Getty Images (All Other Images); Would You Rather Banish Ocean Trash or Zap Dirty Air?: Shutterstock.com; The Shocking Truth About Glitter: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; The Wolves of Isle Royale: FUSE/GETTY IMAGES; Treetop Scientist: MICHAEL AND PATRICIA FOGDEN/MINDEN PICTURES; Going Solar: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; Gorilla Guardians: Marcus Westberg